Issues Surrounding Addiction

BY Ms. RUMBIDZAI CHEMHERE ~ Word works facilitator

In order to formulate a Christian response to addiction, it is necessary to understand how people change. People inevitably move through stages when dealing with addiction and as such it is our duty to be there for others in their struggles as much as we expect others to do the same for us. The elements of choice that can sometimes lead someone toward addiction and sin is the root cause of addiction.

We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. We commit sins because we are living as broken people. We were created to be one way, but we find the reality of our existence to be different than what we were intended to be. For instance, just as a car with its steering out of alignment can sometimes be driven straight but will frequently pull to the side, so we, who are sometimes able to live correctly, are always being pulled off course. Paul expresses this in Romans when he says:

As the condition that affects all of humanity, sin is the explanation for most of the problems both personal and societal that we experience. Our sin nature causes us to do things that are wrong, but it also accounts for physical illness and limitations. Even our relationship with nature is broken, as symbolized by God cursing the ground after the Fall (Gen 3:17–19). Sin is the disease; the evil we do and experience is merely a symptom of that disease. Addiction is sin, but it is sin in the sense that we are susceptible to it because of our broken condition. This does not mean that individual actions don’t play a role in the development of addictions, but they are only a secondary cause, in much the same way that failure to wash your hands can lead to the catching of an infectious disease.

I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Rom 7:18–20).

A number of factors keep addiction hidden.:

• Shame, in particular, is a strong motivator. People are sometime convinced—often with good reason—that if they publicly acknowledge that they suffer from addiction, it will lead to loss of status within the community, including perhaps the loss of leadership positions
• It may also have consequences for their careers. This fear of shame can be especially strong, where people often put up a façade to make themselves seem better than they are. 
• With so many “righteous” people around, it is no wonder that addicts would not want their problems known. 

To practice social liberation, we must come to the recognition that we do not have a righteousness of our own. Our righteousness is found in Christ Jesus. Yet we frequently act as if our righteousness is our own doing. We may acknowledge on one level that we are sinners, but rarely in practice do we live as if “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa 64:4). The Apostle Paul recognized the necessity of discarding the idea that our righteousness is our own work. After recounting all his credentials and achievements from a lifetime of pious living, he goes on to say: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. (Phil 3:7–9).

Questions 

• What is your understanding of addiction?
• How have you responded to your addiction triggers in the past? Can you recognize any patterns?
• What kinds of coping strategies are you currently using to cope with your addiction triggers? Please give an example.
• How do you think your negative thoughts influence your behavior? Give an example.
• What are some things you’re actively doing to avoid addiction?
• What are some ways you’re practicing self-care? What are some things you can add to your routine?

• Discuss points of your recovery journey you feel you’ve accomplished.
• Share some personal moments of anger and how you managed them.
• What are three bad habits that you’d like to replace with good ones? What are some good habits you can replace them with?

Closing Remarks

• What’s your take on today’s session?
• What have you learnt? 
• Announcement of our next meeting